Empty Bowls, Mardi Gras among variety of upcoming New Bern events

Wednesday

The annual Empty Bowls fundraiser for the Craven Arts Council and Religious Community Services is Thursday at Temple Baptist Church, 1500 Kingdom Way, New Bern.

Fill the empty bowls of those in need by filling your bowl from 11 a.m. to 1:30 p.m.

For $25, guests get a hearty lunch, prepared by local restaurants and church groups, along with a handcrafted bowl to take home.

Proceeds benefit Religious Community Services and the Craven Arts Council and help nurture the creative process and feed hungry people in Craven, Jones and Pamlico counties.

Tickets are available in person at Bank of the Arts, 317 Middle St; by phone at 638-2577; or online at emptybowlsnewbern.org/

Ghent Mardi Gras:

The Historic Ghent Community and friends present New Bern's 4th annual Mardi Gras on Saturday, the biggest and most festive Mardi Gras yet — with vendors, music and floats.

Festivities are 11 a.m. to 6 p.m., with the parade at 3 p.m.

This year's parade will be led by Tryon Palace's Fife and Drum Corps and will feature floats, antique cars, costumed crews of groups and clubs, musicians and dancers, Mardi Gras beads, the New Bern Trolley and , the Mardi Gras King and Queen.

Festivities will take place all day on Spencer Avenue between 4th and 6th streets. The parade route is from Spencer Avenue and 8th Street to Spencer Avenue and 2nd Street.

All are welcome to join the fun—spectators and participants alike!

More information is online at newbernmardigras.com or on Facebook at New Bern Mardi Gras 2019

Train show:

The 24th annual Carolina Coastal Railroaders show is Saturday and Sunday at New Bern High School, 4200 Academic Drive.

Admission is $7 for the 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. show and 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Sunday.

Enjoy model trains, layouts, vendors and a chance to win prizes.

Call 946-4077.

Nexus Poets' reading:

Gideon Young will be the Nexus Poet’s featured poet for the First Tuesday Open Mic on Tuesday at New Bern-Craven County Public Library.

Young is a member of the Carolina African American Writers’ Collective and the Carrboro Poets Council. His poetry has appeared or is forthcoming in Backbone Press, Carve Magazine, Modern Haiku, Obsidian: Literature in the African Diaspora, Spillway, The Long River Review, The White Elephant, Wild Plum Haiku, Black Gold: An Anthology of Black Poetry, World Enough Writers Coffee Anthology and The Elizabeth Keckley Reader: A Determined Life, Vol. II.

He is the author of One Window’s Light: A Collection of Haiku, published by Unicorn Press, 2017 and winner of the 2017 Haiku Society of America’s Merit Award for Best Anthology.

He earned a bachelor’s degree in Literature from the University of Connecticut and a master’s degree in teaching elementary education from North Carolina State

University. He is a Teaching Fellow for A+ Schools of North Carolina, a K-12 Literacy Specialist, and former Title 1 elementary school reading teacher.

He lives in Chapel Hill with his wife and daughter.

After he reads, the mic is open for original poems from other poets who sign up.

This free event is sponsored with donations to support the Nexus Poets, a nonprofit group of Eastern North Carolina poets promoting poetry in the area.

Dining with Shakespeare:

Dine with Shakespeare in Italy is Saturday at 6 p.m. at the New Bern Golf and Country Club. Tickets are $45.

Guests will be entertained by short readings and performances from the Bard’s Italian plays by West Craven High School students who participate in a nationwide competition for a scholarship to attend the Royal Academy of Dramatic Arts in England.

Proceeds from this annual fundraising event, sponsored by the local nonprofit Colonial N.C. Branch of the English-Speaking Union, fund the local ESU Teacher Workshop which promotes the study of the Bard.

To order tickets, go to colonialnc@esuus.org or call 252-637-7657.

Library Artist of Month:

The New Bern-Craven County Public Library, 400 Johnson St., New Bern, will host a reception on March 7 for its March featured artist Laura Gammons.

The event is open to the public and begins at 7 p.m. Her works will remain on exhibit through the end of the month.

Library fundraiser:

The Friends of the New Bern-Craven County Public Library will sponsor two raffles as a spring fundraiser.

The first raffle is for an original scene of downtown New Bern by local artist Janet Francoeur.

This artwork can be used as a tri-fold fireplace screen or disassembled and hung on a wall as a triptych - a set of three associated artistic works intended to be displayed together.

Tickets are $5, available at the Bank of the Arts, 317 Middle St., or by contacting Ellen Serra at 571-4817.

The second raffle is for A Book Lover’s Survival Gift Basket. The basket has a variety of products related to reading, including Literary Fortune Cookies. Readers will also get a $25 gift card to Books a Million and a Friends of the Library tote bag.

Tickets are $1 each or six for $5. The gift basket will be on display at the Friends of the Library Spring Book Sale, March 15 to 17. The spring sale will be held at a temporary location, First Presbyterian’s J. Murphy Smith Center, 508 Middle St., New Bern.

The drawing for both raffles will be held at the Friends annual meeting at 3 p.m. on Sunday, April 7 in the Hayden H. Jones auditorium in the library.

Brown Pelican entertainment:

The Brown Pelican, 411 Broad St., New Bern, has live music each Friday and Saturday, along with Trivia Night on Wednesday and Open Mic on Thursday.

The live music includes Jim Kohler on Mondays; Mike Watkins on Friday; Steel Country Express on Saturday; William Seymour March 8; Bryan Mayer March 9; Bernaroo Festival, March 16; Buck Loy and Bruce Lynch, Charlotte Warren birthday celebration, March 23; and The Dust Parade, March 30.

There is no cover, with $1 memberships available at the door.

BrÜtopia entertainment:

Brutopia in James City on U.S. 70 East has a full lineup of entertainment, music and food lined up through the end of March.

Music is normally from 7 to 10 p.m., with 5 to 9 p.m. hours for food trucks.

The Neuse River Ramblers perform a free 3 p.m. concert Sunday at Riverside United Methodist Church, 405 Ave. A in New Bern.

The Neuse River Ramblers add a touch of bluegrass flavor to traditional and contemporary tunes.

The band was featured at Guitarfest 2019 in Washington.

The quartet includes Doug DeSantis on mandolin and fiddle; Andy Franklin on bass; Van Rice on guitar and Donny Batten on banjo.

Donations to Riverside United Methodist Church will be accepted.

Call 631-4117.

Friends of Fort Macon:

The Friends of Fort Macon invite the public to the monthly Dutch-treat lunch meeting at 11:30 a.m. on Wednesday at the Tsunami Grill, Morehead City.

The program begins at noon with Fort Ranger Paul Branch talking about “Life in the 18th Century."

Call 726-3775.

Walking as a hobby:

For those who enjoy walking, Hooked on Walking will meet several times this coming month, starting March 9 at 9 a.m. at Union Point Park, walking along the Trent River. A social will follow at Captain Ratty’s on Middle Street. Walks are about an hour long, walking at your own pace. New walkers are welcome. Rain cancels the walk. Call for information at 703-656-0918 or 634-9083. Upcoming walks are March 16 at 10 a.m. at Patsy Pond Nature Trail, 3670-3698 N.C. 24, Newport. To carpool, meet at 9 a.m. in the James City Food Lion parking lot. Lunch social will be at the Carteret Cafe in Cape Carteret.

On March 9, the group meets at River Bend Town Hall parking lot, 45 Shoreline Drive, New Bern. A breakfast social will follow at the River Bend Country Club.

Tryon Palace events:

New Bern's Tryon Palace on Pollock Street and its North Carolina History Center on South Front Street have a variety of upcoming events and programs.

First Friday: Evolution of Women’s Clothing is slated for 2 p.m. on Friday at the North Carolina History Center. Tickets are $6, free for foundation members.

Join Tryon Palace historic clothing interpreter Leslie Lambrecht for a look at the evolution of women’s foundational garments through the 18th and 19th centuries and how proper undergarments were integral to the day’s fashionable silhouette.

The Hunts in Concert is scheduled at the history center on Saturday at 7:30 p.m. Tickets are $15.

The Hunts are an indie-alternative-folk band comprised of seven brothers and sisters. Born and raised in the south lands of Chesapeake, Va., the siblings grew up in a musical home and compose their own music.

City Stage entertainment:

City Stage, 901 Pollock St., has a wide range of entertainment this week.

City Stage is a private club with $1 annual membership. Table reservations are recommended at citystagenewbern.com.

Alisa Mike serenades with jazz and classics on Thursday at 7 p..m., with no cover.

Dueling Pianos return Friday at 8 p.m., with a $5 cover.

Madame Z Presents the Legendary Purina Chow at 8 p.m. Saturday.

Join Madame Z and the Pollock Street Family for an unforgettable dance party featuring the legendary Purina Chow. She is one of the original Dickinson Avenue Queens from Greenville's Paddock Club.

There is an $8 cover.

Big Jim Kohler and Friends play free at 7 p.m. on Wednesdays.

Blackbeard’s entertainment:

Blackbeard’s Triple Play on South Front Street in New Bern has games and live music each week. Tuesday is Trivia night at 8 p.m. Karaoke with Diane Dees is Thursday at 8 p.m.

Jupiter Jones is the headliner Friday night and the Saturday Mardi Gras special brings BiPolar Express.

Coming up is Blackbeard’s one-year anniversary, with Chocolate Chip on March 8 On the Deck, with DJ Mike Bruton inside.

On March 9, Spare change is the evening headliner, with 30 Second Rock inside, along with a DJ.

Check the Facebook page Blackbeard’s Triple Play Restaurant for live music.

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